Characteristics and Principles of Qualitative Research

By Group 1:
Alit Nur Fauzah (1808103206)
Ayu Lestari (1808103127)
Rahmanur Hidayah (1808103031)
Tantri Arimi (1808103123)

Introduction
According to Sugiono (2012) qualitative research is a human instrument that functions to
determine the focus of research, where the instrument is the researcher himself. Researchers are a
key instrument, in order to become an instrument, researchers must have broad theoretical
insights and provisions so that they are able to ask questions, analyze, take pictures, and
construct a clearer and more meaningful social situation under study. Qualitative research is a
research that involves a fairly complex process (Heriyanto, 2018). This is because a study that
has chosen to be conducted qualitatively has the characteristics of a study that aims to explore
and tell the experiences of someone who is involved in an event. Characteristics of qualitative
research were initially widely used in the fields of sociology, anthropology, and later entered the
fields of psychology, education, languages and other social sciences.
The characteristics of qualitative research are to reveal the various uniqueness contained
in individuals, groups, communities, or organizations in daily life in a comprehensive or holistic
and detailed manner. Furthermore, the principle of qualitative research is a systematic activity to
explore or theory from facts in the real world, not to test theories or hypotheses. Qualitative
research still recognizes empirical facts as a source of knowledge but does not use existing
theories as a basis for verification. In qualitative research, the research process is more important
than the results obtained. Therefore, the researcher as the main instrument for collecting data is
one of the main characteristics of qualitative research. Only with the involvement of researchers
in the data collection process can the results of the research be accounted for. The characteristics
and principles of qualitative research are very important components of qualitative research.
What are the characteristics and principles of qualitative research?. This paper try to discuss
about it.
Discussion
A. Characteristics of Qualitative Research

The following are the characteristics of qualitative research, according to Bogdan and
Biklen, as cited in Fraenkel and Wallen (2006):
1. In qualitative research, the researcher is the central instrument and the natural
environment is the direct source of evidence. Researchers go straight to the site of interest
to observe and gather the data they need.
2. Rather than statistics, the information obtained is in the form of words or diagrams.
Audio files, diaries, field notes, memorandums, official documents, personal statements,
photos, textbook passages, interview transcripts, videotapes, and everything else that
conveys actual words or acts of individuals are examples of the types of data collected.
3. Qualitative research is concerned with both the method and the outcome. A qualitative
researcher's main focus is on how things happen and how people communicate with one
another.
4. The data is analyzed deductively. It begins with the respondents' particular ideas in
order to develop a general idea or theory. To do so, a significant amount of time is spent
gathering data before considering the relevant questions.
5. Qualitative research is concerned with people's efforts to make sense of their lives. A
significant concern is the viewpoint of the study's participants.
 The different characteristics of qualitative research:
1. Real-world Setting
The real-world setting is the first characteristic of qualitative research. In
qualitative research methods like observation method, ethnographic research, focus
group, one-to-one interviews, the behavior of the participants of study is observed, and
the conclusion is drawn based on their answers and their behavior.
For example, if a teacher tries to figure out why his students' grades are dropping,
he will conduct qualitative research. Qualitative analysis is carried out in natural settings
to obtain accurate data.
2. Researcher Plays an important role
A qualitative researcher is someone who conducts research. A group of people or
a person may perform qualitative research. In qualitative research, a researcher's aim is
crucial. The qualitative researcher is in charge of selecting a research approach and
devising a strategy for conducting successful research.
The researcher must also take part in the analysis in order to make reliable
observations. He takes part in the study and interacts with the participants. He also goes
through the study process with the participants and addresses their questions.
3. Different Research methods
The numerous research approaches are another important feature of qualitative
research. Focus groups, face-to-face interviews, observation testing techniques, case
studies, subject analysis, ethnography, phenomenology, ground theory, and group
discussions are examples of research methods.
Each qualitative research approach is significant in its own right and is
appropriate for a variety of scenarios and research circumstances. To obtain the most
reliable results, researchers can use more than one qualitative research tool. To compare
the outcomes of quantitative studies, research approaches such as a case study and
content analysis are used.
4. Complex reasoning
One of the most important characteristics of qualitative research is that it
facilitates complex reasoning. There are times when a complex rationale is needed to
achieve the best outcomes rather than simple statistical answers.
For example, if a restaurant owner wants to know what kind of entertainment
people want at various times of the day and why, he could use one of the qualitative
research approaches to learn about the psychology of consumers who make entertainment
choices.
Furthermore, qualitative research approaches are used to describe the results of
quantitative research methods.
5. Participants meanings
A participant's position in qualitative research is just as critical as the researcher's.
Rather than the concept provided or thought by the researcher based on literature reviews,
the aim of a researcher in the research process is to recognize and evaluate the
significance that a participant brings to the research.
 Based on the different perspectives of participants, different meaning of research
is observed.
6. Flexible
Qualitative research can be conducted in a number of ways. It may change at any
point during the study, and the research course can change as a result of the change. As a
result, qualitative research is used in situations where the research's flexibility is
appropriate.
7. Reflexivity
In qualitative research, the researchers tell the participants all about themselves,
including their context and the intent of the study. They often engage in the study openly
and enthusiastically because of their reflexivity.
8. Holistic Account
The aim of qualitative research is to get a clearer view of the bigger picture. The
researcher relies on multiple viewpoints and determines various factors involved in the
study when conducting qualitative research.
The aim of the research is to provide a detailed overview of the research issue.
Instead of attempting to establish a cause and effect relationship between two or more
variables, a researcher can attempt to establish a complex cause and relationship between
various elements.
9. Ongoing data analysis
In qualitative research, data processing does not occur at the end of the research
process. In qualitative research, data analysis is a continuous method.
The researcher can both interpret and draw conclusions, and the analysis process
can be updated based on the findings.
10. Purposeful selection of participants
Participants in qualitative research are chosen at random from a carefully selected
segment of potential participants. The wide variety of participants increases the precision
of the study's results.
As a result, unlike quantitative research, where participants are selected at
random, qualitative research requires careful participant selection.
11. Emergent Design
 The modern design of qualitative research is a distinguishing feature. That means
a qualitative research approach will stay the same as the one chosen by the researcher at
the start of the analysis. At each point of the study, the research method evolves. When
the researcher begins collecting data for the research issue, the research process will
change.
This may lead to differences in the research methods used, and in some cases, the
research problem is changed, resulting in an entirely new research problem. As a result,
the researcher must be willing to adapt in the study process at any time or at any period.
The primary goal of qualitative research methods is not to arrive at a quantitative
response, but to gain a thorough understanding of the problem and learn what there is to
know about it.
B. The Principles of Qualitative Research
Interpretivism, constructivism, and inductivism are three views that can be used to
summarize the concepts of qualitative research (Jupp, 2006).
1. Constructivism accepts the interpretations of things are subjectively formed and
imposed by individuals in specific ways, rather than being discovered objectively.
2. Interpretivism stresses that both meanings are equally important for research, and that
there is no exact normative meaning that necessitates a single universal objective
interpretation, as in the positivist tradition (a view of quantitative approach).

3. In inductivism, a new collection of knowledge, meanings, or hypotheses emerges as a

result of the induction process. The method does not entail the validation of any
existing theory or body of knowledge; rather, it aims to generate new ones.

General Principles of Qualitative Research

1) As previously stated, the primary goal of qualitative research is for the researcher to gain
a better understanding of reality from the perspective of research participants
(informants), not from our own. We attempt to create the informant's universe using a
variety of original concepts (words) articulated by the informants as a manifestation. In
other words, we're attempting to decipher the significance structure of the informant,
which might differ from our own. That may seem ridiculous to us, but to him, it is a
 world of sense because this is how he sees order in the world (nomos), not disorder
(anomy) or alienation (alienation).

2) Once we have a clear understanding of truth, the researcher's job is to interpret the
concepts (words) that relate to a specific discipline (sociology).

3) Qualitative analysis is inductive research, which means it starts with evidence

(empirical), goes through the processing process, and then comes to a conclusion
(concept or theory) In terms of numbers: Starting with truth, indicators, and variables,
and progressing to principles and/or theories. Dkl is a conceptualization, theorization, and
abstraction attempt. It should be noted, though, that it does not attempt to lift an idea or
theory that is too abstract (far from reality), as Parsons or Giddens did. As a result, he
fails to understand the word as a problem of validity (the suitability of the concept with
the indicators).

4) Qualitative analysis, not hypothesis, is the method of gathering and analyzing data in
order to produce a proven explanation (thesis or theory). Qualitative researchers begin by
experimenting with clear theories, but after testing them in the field and finding that they
are unable to explain them, they suggest a new theory, which they test several times
before they find a solid answer (THESIS). In a nutshell, it's the method of eliminating
HIPO from the word HYPOTHESIS and replacing it with TESIS. It's not a hypothesis
tester, Dkl, it's a thesis generator ( testing hypotheses).

5) On the one hand, qualitative analysis is the method of gathering and analyzing data using
terms or words that are applicable in a population, rather than abstract definitions that are
operationalized, and on the other hand, it tends to focus on a group with carefully
developed and oriented criteria. That is, he does not understand the word or the concept
of reliability issues (suitability of measurement results).

6) Qualitative research is the process of collecting and processing data that focuses attention
on special individuals or groups in a certain space and time. In addition to the fact that
they do not have the ambition to find general findings (generalizations), they tend not to
recognize terms or problems of representativity (sampling).
 7) Qualitative research is a cyclic mechanism with no set steps to follow. Cyclic refers to a
sequence of operations that are carried out in a continuous manner without consideration
for the beginning, middle, or end points. Researchers will begin by visiting the area,
conducting interviews and observations, formulating problems, developing prototypes,
processing data, returning to data collection, reviewing, modifying ideas, writing papers,
and processing new data, among other items. However, it is strongly advised that
researchers have a close relationship (both cognitive and affective) with the study
subjects from the start.

8) Qualitative analysis is a method of gathering and evaluating information that focuses on

informants (people whose intelligence may be used to portray themselves and/or others).
The emphasis is on the strength (quality) of data rather than the amount (quantity). In
qualitative study, quantity or representativity (sampling) is not an issue or a problem.

9) Qualitative analysis is the method of gathering and evaluating data that researchers have
been familiar with since the beginning: Who is the research's focus? (actors) The study's
emphasis is on how the actors' acts are perceived (action) What is the relationship
between the actors who are the focus of the analysis and other actors? (relation) Where
did it happen? (space) When was it completed? (time)

Conclussion

From the data above, the authors conclude that this paper discusses the characteristics and
principles of qualitative research. As a result, the characteristics of qualitative research are the
researcher is the central instrument and the natural environment is the direct source of evidence,
the information obtained is in the form of words or diagrams, concerned with both the method
and the outcome, the data is analyzed deductively, and concerned with people's efforts
(viewpoint of the study's participants). Furthermore, the principle of qualitative research is a
systematic activity to explore or theory from facts in the real world, not to test theories or
hypotheses. General principles of qualitative research are understand of reality from the
perspective of research participants (informants), qualitative research is a cyclic mechanism,
interpret the concepts, method of gathering and analyzing data in order to produce a proven
explanation (thesis or theory), using terms or words that are applicable in a population, and
focuses attention on special individuals or groups in a certain space and time.

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